Oiler for rotary drums



Jan. 18, 1966 R. F. HENLEY OILER FOR ROTARY DRUMS Filed NOV. 2'7, 1963FIG. 2

INVENTOR RODNEY F. HENLEY BY %/W ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,229,787 OlLER FOR ROTARY DRUMS Rodney F. Henley, Washington, D.C.,assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretaryof the Navy Filed Nov. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 326,639 Claims. (Cl. 184-19)(Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The inventiondescribed herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Governmentof the United States of America for governmental purposes without thepayment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to oilers for rotary drums and more particularlyto continuous oilers for applying a thin coat of oil to magneticrecording drums.

In the art of magnetic drum recording it has been found desirable toapply a very thin coat of light lubricating oil to the molded syntheticrubber recording bands. This thin oil coating significantly reduces thereproduced noise level caused by the recording head contacting therotating band, which in those instances where molded bands are employed,is aggravated by the comparatively uneven recording surface. Theapplication of oil further greatly extends the life of recording headsand hands by substantially eliminating the wear of these elements.

Various methods of applying oil to the recording bands have beenemployed in the past. Several of these methods such as periodicallyapplying oil to the bands with a paint brush, periodically squirting oilon the bands through a pro-positioned tube or positioning the drum sothat during rotation its bottom portion runs through an oil reservoirhave particular drawbacks. The first two of these apply too much oil tothe drum initially and too little between applications. The majordrawback of the first two as well as the reservoir system is theapplication of too much oil which causes oil to be sprayed throughoutthe equipment clogging portions of the recorder and requiring frequentshutdown for cleaning. Even when oil is applied through a wick excessivecontact between the wick and recording bands Will cause an excess of oilto be applied and spraying and clogging will consequently ensue.Further, when more than line contact exists between the applicator wickand drum and the recording drum is run in reverse costly jamming canoccur.

The oil applicator of the present invention overcomes the foregoinginadequacies of the prior art by providing a rockable wick retainingstructure which loosely yet securely holds a tapered felt wick in linecontact with the rotating recording band while applying a lightadjustably controllable pressure to the wick. This light line contactprovides for equal lubrication of the comparatively irregular surface ofmolded recording bands.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device forapplying a light coating of oil to the recording bands of a magneticsound recorder.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an oiling systemfor magnetic drum recorders where the recording bands are not of uniformthickness.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a holdingmechanism for a tapered felt wick which will maintain the edge of saidfelt wick in line contact with a rotating drum under adjustablycontrollable pressure.

These and other objects as well as many of the attendant advantages andfeatures of this invention will be readily appreciated as they becomebetter understood by reference to the following detailed descriptionwhen the same is considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 3,229,787 PatentedJan. 18, 1966 of FIG. 1, and including a recording drum and band, insection,

FIG. 3, is a bottom view of the device illustrating the tapered arcuaterocker plate of the present invention, and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters represent like parts throughout the several views, and moreparticularly to FIG. 1 there is shown the novel oil applicator of thepresent invention generally designated 10 resting on rocker plate 12 inan oil reservoir at pan 14. Rocker plate 12 (FIG. 3) is provided with atapering arcuate surface 16 which permits backward, forward and lateralrocking of the oil applicator 10 in conformity with any recording bandirregularities or variations in band thickness encountered by the edge18 on tapered end 19 of wick 20 when said edge is in contact withrecording band 22 mounted on rotating drum 24.

As best shown in FIG. 4, wick 20 is mounted loosely but securely betweenrocker plate 12 and an upper lever plate 26 which includes a fasteningflange 28, upright 39 and lever arm 32. A plurality of bolts 34 extendthrough complementary openings 36 in flange 28, metallic spacers 38positioned in openings 40 in Wick 20 and are threaded into openings 42in rocker plate 12. The bolts 34 do not extend through rocker plate 12so that the leading ends of bolts 34 do not interfere with the rockingmotion of the oil applicator on tapering arcuate surface 16. Themetallic spacers 38 maintain a set distance between flange 28 and rockerplate 12 thus preventing bolt 34 from being tightened to the extent thatit will project beyond the bottom of rocker plate 12 and also preventsfelt wick 20 from being squeezed between flange 28 and plate 12 andhence impede the flow of oil through the wick 20. The spacers 38 alsoallow the wick 20 to move slightly between the flange 28 and rockerplate 12 thus further permitting freedom of the wick to follow thecontour of the recording band. Lock washers 35 are employed with bolts34 to prevent the bolts from unthreading from openings 42 in rockerplate 12.

The lever arm 32 of upper lever plate 26 has an elongated slot 44 whichfacilitates the mounting and adjustable positioning of a weight 46 onlever arm 32 by means of a bolt 48 which passes through the slot 44 andis threaded into weight 46. Of course in addition to adjusting thedistance between rocker plate 12 and weight 46 'by moving bolt 48 inslot 44 to vary the pressure of the wick on the recording bands,different size weights can be easily interchanged to also vary the wickpressure.

A retaining plate 50 which is L-shaped in cross section is secured tothe back wall of reservoir 14 by bolts 56 and carries a pair of bolts 52which are loosely inserted into complementary openings 54 in wick 20.The retaining plate 50 and bolts 52 serve to maintain the rear edge ofwick 20 emersed in the oil 58 and prevent wick curling or forwardrocking of the wick carrying structure from causing the rearward end ofthe wick to be raised out of the oil supply. However, it will beapparent that this configuration does permit sufiicient movement of thatend of the wick so as not in interfere with or restrict normal rockingmovement of the wick. Apertures 60 are provided in lever arm 32 toprovide ready access to bolt 52. This facilitates the removal of theentire oil applicator from the reservoir when desired while permittingretaining plate 50 to remain secured to the reservoir 14.

As can be seen from the foregoing the novel oil applicator of thepresent invention provides a simple and efficient method of applying athin coat of oil to rotating record-ing drums by rockably positioning awick in line contact with the rotating drum under a selectively variableamount of pressure.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in light of the foregoing teachings without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore to be understood thatthis invention is to be limited only by the appended claims, and nototherwise.

What is claimed is:

1. An oil applicator for continuously applying a thin coating of oil toa rotating surface comprising:

Wick means having a tapered end portion,

wick mounting means having a lower rocker portion and an upper leverportion, and

movable weight means secured to said upper lever portion, said rockerportion adapted to support said oil applicator for rockable movementthereabout in response to the force supplied by said weight meanswhereby light line contact is maintained at all times between the edgeof said wick and said rotating surface.

2. An oil applicator arrangement for continuously applying a thincoating of oil to a rotating drum comprismg:

an oil containing reservoir,

a wick having one end thereof disposed in the said oil and the other endproviding line contact with said rotating drum,

a rocker plate and an upper lever plate having a lever arm extendingtherefrom, said wick being loosely secured between said rocker plate andsaid upper lever plate, and

a movable Weight mounted on said lever arm, said weight causing saidapplicator to pivot about said rocker plate lightly forcing the edge ofsaid wick against said rotating drum.

3. An oil applicator arrangement for continuously applying a thincoating of oil to a rotating drum comprismg:

an oil containing reservoir,

a wick having one end thereof disposed in the said an L-shaped retaining'b-ar secured to said reservoir and partially overlying said one end ofsaid wick for maintaining said wick emersed in said oil.

4. An oil applicator for continuously applying a thin coating of oil toa rotating drum comprising:

a rocker plate having a tapered arcuate rocker edge supporting saidapplicator,

an upper lever plate having an extended lever arm portion,

a Wick secured between said rocker plate and said lever plate, said wickhaving a tapered end portion providing a drum engaging edge, and

a weight secured to the end of said lever arm remote from the wicksecuring area of said lever plate, whereby the edge of said wick Will bemaintained in contact With said drum through the rocking of saidapplicator on said rocker plate in response to the force supplied bysaid weight.

5. An oil applicator arrangement for continuously applying a thincoating of oil to a rotating drum comprisoil and the other end beingtapered to provide line ing:

an oil containing reservoir,

a rocker plate having a tapered arcuate rocker edge supported by saidreservoir,

an upper lever plate having an extended lever arm portion, a wickloosely secured between said rocker plate and said lever plate, saidwick having a tapered end portion providing :a drum engaging edge,

a moveable weight secured to the end of said lever arm remote from thewick securing area of said lever plate, and

means secured to said reservoir for maintaining the end of said wickremote from said edge submerged in said oil whereby the edge of saidwick will be maintained in contact with said drum through the rocking ofsaid applicator on said rocker plate in response to the force suppliedby said weight.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,059,021 4/191'3Bellhouse 184-3 1,955,550 4/1934 Kendall 184102 2,205,617 6/1940Coolidge 184102 FOREIGN PATENTS 78,615 10/1919 Germany.

LAVER'NE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. BELL, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN OIL APPLICATOR FOR CONTINUOUSLY APPLYING A THIN COATING OF OIL TOA ROTATING SURFACE COMPRISING: WICK MEANS HAVING A TAPERED END PORTION,WICK MOUNTING MEANS HAVING A LOWER ROCKER PORTION AND AN UPPER LEVERPORTION, AND MOVABLE WEIGHT MEANS SECURED TO SAID UPPER LEVER PORTION,SAID ROCKER PORTION ADAPTED TO SUPPORT SAID OIL APPLICATOR FOR ROCKABLEMOVEMENT THEREABOUT IN RESPONSE TO THE FORCE SUPPLIED BY SAID WEIGHTMEANS WHEREBY LIGHT LINE CONTACT IS MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES BETWEEN THEEDGE OF SAID WICK AND SAID ROTATING SURFACE.